'What kind of society do we wish to build?': Bishops' election appeal to voters
In a pastoral note, Malta's bishops call on voters to make an informed decision and respect others
Malta’s bishops have urged voters to make an “informed decision” in the May 30 general election, saying the country faces a “serious responsibility” in choosing its next government.
In a pastoral note issued on Saturday, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi said voters should be guided by their conscience and the common good.
“Our vote is a response to the fundamental question: what kind of society do we wish to build for all of us and for the generations to come?” they said.
“It is a responsibility that calls us to choose people of integrity and wisdom, who embrace and uphold the ethical values we believe in.”
The bishops' appeal comes as Malta heads into the final weeks of an electoral campaign before voters go to the polls on May 30.
The bishops highlighted the importance of protecting human life “at every moment” and respecting the dignity of every person, regardless of race, skin colour, gender or religion.
They also called for restraint during the electoral campaign, urging people to ensure that their words, including social media posts, are “guided by a spirit of dialogue, of full respect for truth, and of esteem for one another, including for those who think differently from us.”
The pastoral note was signed by Scicluna, Teuma, Galea-Curmi and Fr Jimmy Bonnici, secretary of the Maltese Episcopal Conference.